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George Has A Slow Heartbeat

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Countrylass

Countrylass

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Shropshire
George saw the vet last week for a general checkup as we like to get them seen after we adopt them. He is roughly 3.5 years old. The strange thing about him for us is how inactive he is during floor time compared to some of the girls who are nearly twice his age. We thought maybe his nails needed cutting but that hasn't made much difference. The vet said she could count his heartbeat (roughly 120) which isn't normal. She suggested he might have a thyroid issue as he's also nearly 1.5 kg. He doesn't sleep more than the others or show any other symptoms. He does have really thick black hair and the vet said he may be a victim of inbreeding. Would thyroid problems affect his heart?
 
Hi! I am tagging some members into this thread that have more experience with heart piggies. Please be patient, not all of them might be able to answer today.
@helen105281 @Adelle
 
I have not heard of thyroid affecting the heart but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. Would your vet consider a scan or conscious xray to see if the heart is enlarged and if it is working properly?
 
George is going back this morning as he is booked in for a blood test to check his thyroid. I'll ask Helen to x-ray him as well as we had talked about it last week.
 
Helen couldn't get a blood sample but she has recommended we take George to a heart specialist not far from where we live. His heartbeat was roughly 160 this morning. She did say he doesn't really blink when you go near his eyes (he managed to get a hay poke on the way to the vets last week) so she wants us to check his eyes regularly for any abnormal signs
 
George has seen the specialist and had an ECG which came back with no abnormalities. His heartbeat while attached to the monitor was 227 - 229 which the vet said was probably normal for a stressed piglet. The only question the vet couldn't answer was whether the peaks on the readout should be lots bigger than the rest points.
 
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